[05/14/12 - 03:21 PM]History Loses "Swamp People" Star Mitchell Guist"We are extremely saddened to report that our friend and beloved member of the Swamp People family, Mitchell Guist, has passed away earlier today," said the network.

[via press release from History]

Joint statement from HISTORY and Original Media, producers of Swamp People for History:

We are extremely saddened to report that our friend and beloved member of the Swamp People family, Mitchell Guist, has passed away earlier today. Mitchell passed on the swamp, doing what he loved. We appreciate your respect for the Guist family's privacy and hope you join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to his brother, Glenn, and the rest of the Guist family.